Figure 1: Artist impression of what a Thylacoleo looked like
The Marsupial Lion (Thylacoleo carnifex) lived in Australia 1,600,000 to 46,000 years ago in the early to late Pleistocene period ( they heyday of Australians giant animals mega fauna), a time when the hairy mammoth,wooly Rhinoceros and Giant Sloth’s roamed the earth and the Reindeer made its debut. Africa’s megafuna included elephants, giraffesand hippopotamuses all that remains around today. Thylacoleo carnifex literally mean thylakos – pouch, leo – lion, carnifex – “butcher” murderer. It is the largest meat-eating mammal that ever existed in Australia. With sharp buck tooth incisors, 75cm high to the shoulder, 1.5m long from head to tail and weighed about 100 to 130kg there is no doubt that this carnivorous marsupial once ruled Australia’s wild life.
Taxonomy:
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Diprotodontia
Family
Thylacoleonidae
Genus
Thylacoleo
Species
Thylacoleo Carnifex
Habitat:
In the Pleistocene Epoch, Australia and Tasmania were still connected and New Guinea in the north this is due to the fall of sea levels, which created land bridges between these regions, Australia was also heading closer to its current global position. The vegetation in Australia was already adapting to the dry climate, the deserts, grasslands and forests were continuously altering. The climate would constantly change between icehouse phases, which were dry and cold conditions and greenhouse phases, which were warmer and wetter conditions. This occurred because of the waxing and waning of the polar icecaps. Sites where Thylacoleo fossils have reportedly been found in all states especially open forest and dry habitat, including these locations:
Darling Downs (Queensland)
Wellington Caves (New South Wales)
Naracoorte Caves (South Australia)
Thylacoleo Cave on the Nullarbor Plain (Western Australia).
Figure 2: Accurate Drawing of a Thylacoleo's skull
Adaptations:
Behavioral: 1. Aggressiveness
Like the modern day Tasmanian Devil scientists believe the Thylacoleo was a very aggressive marsupial. Being the largest predator around in Australia, they are described to have roamed the land for food slashing prey with their sharp thumb and ripping meat to pieces with their sharp incisors. 2. Stalking
Like the modern day Lion the Thylacoleo was said to have stalked their prey before they killed. This meant they quietly would watch their prey before any persuit of attacking, providing the best opportunity for a kill. This was important as some creatures like the Procoptodon were fast. Structural: 1. Teeth and Jaws
Figure 3: An artists impression of the Thylacoleo's mouth (teeth are accurate)
The Marsupial lion had large incisors which would have been had a huge contribution to its survival adaptation. The incisors and other teeth were designed for tearing, cutting and chewing flesh. Although there has been much debate on whether the Thylacoleo was herbivorous or carnivorous, most scientists believe it was carnivorous. It has been discovered that its jaw contains teeth most carnivorous animals have, apart from its smaller canines. The incisor and premolar are described as “carnissal” teeth (specialized for carnivory). These huge carnissal premolars on the top and bottom of either side of its jaw worked like blade cutting shears. Carnissal premolars sliced and cut enormous amounts of meat. Additional Study on its Jaw has proved that the Thylacoleo had “the most powerful bite” of any marsupial predator, existing or extinct. Its bone crushing bite could have taken out much larger prey including the Sub adult Diprotodon. A pressure that gave rise to the adaptation of its powerful jaws and teeth was the tough meat of other animals they hunted for example the thick flesh of the Diprotodon and Procoptodon. 2. Legs and Paws The Thylacoleo’s forelimbs were powerfully built and very strong, it is evident that these were also used as a survival tactic to catch, grapple and slaughter prey. They had retractable claws (a trait uncommonly seen in marsupials) this meant Marsupial Lion’s could climb trees and keep their nails sharp whilst walking on hard surface. Their hind legs are slightly shorter with four digit paws, which had a roughed base that helped its climbing ability. The Thylacoleo’s 2nd and 3rd hind toes were fused, which is also seen in other diprodonts. Marsupial lions attacked their prey by standing on their hind legs, leaping and grabbing/tackling their prey, this stance was supported by their long thick tail, which contacted the ground. The pressure that gave rise to these adaptations was the need to climb trees to find food and stay up in a tree whilst attacking prey.
Figure 4: Full Skeleton of a Thylacoleo
Extinction Pressure: It is uncertain to why exactly the Thylacoleo went extinct. Speculations suggest that due to Early Australians (Aborigines) living around the same time as the Thylacoleo (proven by cave drawings in sacred sites) were burning forests and hunting the Marsupial lion for food for the reason of their extinction. Many scientist believe humans had a huge part in their extinction as there is proof that this species survived 7 ice ages over hundreds of thousands of years and during their time of extinction there were no drastic (if any) changes in the climate.
The Marsupial Lion
Taxonomy:
Habitat:
In the Pleistocene Epoch, Australia and Tasmania were still connected and New Guinea in the north this is due to the fall of sea levels, which created land bridges between these regions, Australia was also heading closer to its current global position. The vegetation in Australia was already adapting to the dry climate, the deserts, grasslands and forests were continuously altering. The climate would constantly change between icehouse phases, which were dry and cold conditions and greenhouse phases, which were warmer and wetter conditions. This occurred because of the waxing and waning of the polar icecaps. Sites where Thylacoleo fossils have reportedly been found in all states especially open forest and dry habitat, including these locations:
Adaptations:
Behavioral:
1. Aggressiveness
Like the modern day Tasmanian Devil scientists believe the Thylacoleo was a very aggressive marsupial. Being the largest predator around in Australia, they are described to have roamed the land for food slashing prey with their sharp thumb and ripping meat to pieces with their sharp incisors.
2. Stalking
Like the modern day Lion the Thylacoleo was said to have stalked their prey before they killed. This meant they quietly would watch their prey before any persuit of attacking, providing the best opportunity for a kill. This was important as some creatures like the Procoptodon were fast.
Structural:
1. Teeth and Jaws
The Marsupial lion had large incisors which would have been had a huge contribution to its survival adaptation. The incisors and other teeth were designed for tearing, cutting and chewing flesh. Although there has been much debate on whether the Thylacoleo was herbivorous or carnivorous, most scientists believe it was carnivorous. It has been discovered that its jaw contains teeth most carnivorous animals have, apart from its smaller canines. The incisor and premolar are described as “carnissal” teeth (specialized for carnivory). These huge carnissal premolars on the top and bottom of either side of its jaw worked like blade cutting shears. Carnissal premolars sliced and cut enormous amounts of meat. Additional Study on its Jaw has proved that the Thylacoleo had “the most powerful bite” of any marsupial predator, existing or extinct. Its bone crushing bite could have taken out much larger prey including the Sub adult Diprotodon. A pressure that gave rise to the adaptation of its powerful jaws and teeth was the tough meat of other animals they hunted for example the thick flesh of the Diprotodon and Procoptodon.
2. Legs and Paws
The Thylacoleo’s forelimbs were powerfully built and very strong, it is evident that these were also used as a survival tactic to catch, grapple and slaughter prey. They had retractable claws (a trait uncommonly seen in marsupials) this meant Marsupial Lion’s could climb trees and keep their nails sharp whilst walking on hard surface. Their hind legs are slightly shorter with four digit paws, which had a roughed base that helped its climbing ability. The Thylacoleo’s 2nd and 3rd hind toes were fused, which is also seen in other diprodonts. Marsupial lions attacked their prey by standing on their hind legs, leaping and grabbing/tackling their prey, this stance was supported by their long thick tail, which contacted the ground. The pressure that gave rise to these adaptations was the need to climb trees to find food and stay up in a tree whilst attacking prey.
It is uncertain to why exactly the Thylacoleo went extinct. Speculations suggest that due to Early Australians (Aborigines) living around the same time as the Thylacoleo (proven by cave drawings in sacred sites) were burning forests and hunting the Marsupial lion for food for the reason of their extinction. Many scientist believe humans had a huge part in their extinction as there is proof that this species survived 7 ice ages over hundreds of thousands of years and during their time of extinction there were no drastic (if any) changes in the climate.
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